Same as why are people so quick to believe the likes of Rev Phelps, Jimmy Swaggart, Jim Jones, amongst others? Easy. It;s because people are so easily duped. Faith requires gullibility, and most fundies be it Christian, Muslim, Moron (er.. Mormon), or whatever are gullible. Religion is a big form of spiritual penis-envy; a 'my god is better than your god thing'. Mostly, it's all belief (as I said) and mostly to all free-thinkers, it's all shite.
Yet, you already made a couple of claims that show you're quick to believe that the character and stories of Jesus were copied from other mythological/religious sources. And that is what I'm trying to get at. If the above quote is what you think, then why do many of us read the nonsense spouted by some frauds and click our fingers and go "Hey, these guys are definitely right" ignoring the fact that they cite no conclusive evidence for their findings?
You are trying to turn this into a discussion about religious beliefs while I'm trying to get this to be a discussion about some of the irrational beliefs that many atheists/agnostics hold.
Both are one in the same, when you get down to it. And why are atheist/agnostics put in the 'irrational' basket when fundie Christians etc would be just as at home in said basket? Neither party can prove themselves right or wrong, but to me the mythologies of Christianity should not be taken any more seriouly than Shakespeare or Tolstoy.
Because we already know religious beliefs are irrational. And intellectual integrity is always expected from atheists and agnostics because they are, after all, expected to be rational and intellectually honest ... unlike people who espouse irrational religious beliefs.
Yeah, the Bible is full of bullshit, but still not the point of this thread.